Add Your Blog | | Signup
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 4M ago

Is it C6 or A minor 7?? and Who is on first base?

Lesson: C6 – A minor 7 So, C6 and A minor 7 … same shape different name. WHY? Context my friend it’s all about the context. If you move from G7 to C6 it seems like its kind of final. There is a “resolution” about it. Try it, play C6 then G7 then go to [...]
0 Vote Up · Share
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 4M ago

2011 Ukulele Hoopla Review

The Ukulele Hoopla came and went like a crazy anxiety dream that had a story book ending. This was our real first go of it and I was so pleased with the results. I have so many people to thank. We had participants from KC, Lincoln, Omaha, Missouri, and JAPAN. No, I am not kidding [...]
0 Vote Up · Share
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 4M ago

Ukulele C7 lesson:

Lesson: The picture to the left shows C7 in 4 positions up the neck. Each position is identified by a box encompassing the appropriate notes. Instruction: Play 4 beats on the first position Then move to the next position and play another 4 beats Etc… Up the neck and yes, DOWN the neck. Strive for [.
0 Vote Up · Share
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 4M ago

Scale Lesson

Scale lesson: Playing scales on a ukulele is like being introduced to your best friend’s girl friend’s best friend that has a “great” personality. Why? Well because you can so rarely pull off all 8 tones from lowest to highest. You can always find all eight tones but you can rarely play them all fro
0 Vote Up · Share
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 8M ago

Uke Hoopla … HERE WE COME!!

There is so much going on… My head is in a spin. There’s plane tickets to bring folks in, hotel reservations, registrations, workshop notes, vendor tables, lunches for everybody, venue, venue insurance, social media, old fashion media, but you know what?? ITS ALL COMING TOGETHER, JUST LOVELY!! Ya, t
0 Vote Up · Share
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 9M ago

New Uke Projects!!

Wow, what a weekend! Well it seems the old saying “when it rains it pours” is spot on. The next couple of months have the 4 Strings of Swing cooking!! This last weekend the band and Red Orchid Productions helped put together another instructional ukulele video. This one is all based on chord theory
0 Vote Up · Share
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 11M ago

4 Strings of Swing – Play for a Wedding

4 Strings of Swing got to play for a wedding last weekend. We played for the mass and the cocktail hour. The music for the mass included Canon in D, Ave Maria, formal Catholic mass parts, and Jazz standards for prelude and postlude music. The bride requested Molokai Morning for her entrance. I was s
0 Vote Up · Share
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 11M ago

Ukulele Slogan Contest… Win a Cigar Box Ukulele!!

NEW CONTEST!! We’re designing 4SOS t-shirts and stickers for our new online store and we want your help! Come up with a snappy ukulele slogan (i.e. “life’s better w/ 4 Strings”, “live ukulele”, etc.) by July 25 and post it to our wall. The slogan can have 4 Strings of Swing in it or not. [...]
0 Vote Up · Share
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 1Y ago

Thanks Mom

I hope this finds you all in great spirits. I am writing this on mothers day and its only suitable that I wish all the mom’s out there a very happy mothers day. I am so grateful to my mom, she was the one that started it all. I was in 5th grade and she [...]
0 Vote Up · Share
Mark 'Spanky' Gutierrez · 1Y ago

Spanky’s Ukulele DVD

The production company put together a behind the scenes view of my Ukulele Finger Picking DVD … Check it out: http://www.redorchidproductions.com/2011/04/15/a-mad-scientist-themed-ukulele-instructional-video/ If you are interested in buying it… click on the following link and go to the  ”store”. htt
0 Vote Up · Share
More Stories